1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electro-chemical fuel ignition systems, and particularly to an apparatus for the generation of gases from a fuel and the continuous ignition thereof.
2. Background of the Invention
It has been realized for sometime that reliance on petroleum products as a fuel source must be curtailed. One reason for this is that petroleum resources are available in only a finite supply and no method is presently known for replenishing these natural resources. The same is true for natural gas. At the present rates of consumption, the depletion of petroleum resources is foreseeable.
Another reason supporting the curtailment of petroleum fuels relates to environmental concerns. Recently, much attention has been focused on the by-products of petroleum burning. These by-products are certainly a major source of urban pollution, and may even contribute to such contemporary problems as acid rain.
Accordingly, there is a need for an alternate fuel source which is vast and/or replenishable. Preferably, such a fuel source is also free of the dangerous pollutants that petroleum fuels emit as they are burned. Water or substantially water containing fuels address both of these requirements. A drawback in exploiting water as a fuel relates to methods for converting present petroleum product and natural gas users into water users.
It is known to use hydrogen and oxygen derived from the electrolytic dissociation of water as a fuel source or as a fuel efficiency enhancer. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,777 to Brown relates to welding, brazing or the like utilizing a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen generated in substantially stoichiometric proportions in an electrolytic cell by electrolytic dissociation of water. The mixture so generated is passed to a burner where the gases are ignited. Brown also relates to atomic welding in which the above-mentioned mixture of hydrogen and oxygen is passed through an arc causing dissociation of the water into atomic hydrogen and oxygen which on recombination generate an intensely hot flame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,545 to Mosher et al discloses a gas generating system for use with internal combustion engines, which provides hydrogen gas and oxygen gas to be intermixed with the petroleum-based fuel for the engine. The system of Mosher comprises an electrolysis unit which is energized by the existing electrical system normally associated with an internal combustion engine. The unit utilizes distilled water and sodium hydroxide as the electrolyte. The system further includes means for conducting ambient air into the electrolysis unit for agitating or mixing the electrolyte and removing the gases that accumulate on the anode and cathode. The unit comprises a stainless steel tank as well as stainless steel anode and cathode members.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,131 to Feuerman describes an automobile engine fueled with a mixture of air and a vapor derived by passing electric current through an electrolytically conductive emulsion of gasoline and water. Specific compositions of the conductive emulsions are disclosed, as are specific designs for vaporizers for the fuel. Gaseous hydrogen and oxygen are present in the vapor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,060 to Gonzalez discloses a reciprocating motor having an electrolytic cell for generating a combustible mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gases, the cell being connected to the input/output port of the piston cylinder assembly, and means for igniting the combustible mixture in the cylinder as well as a particular configuration of the motor and its parts. The recycling of hydrogen and oxygen gases to the electrolytic cell through the input/output port is taught.
It is also known that certain alcohol-water mixtures are acceptable secondary fuels in combination with petroleum based fuels. In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,341 to McGarr teaches an alcohol-water injection system which first electrically heats an alcohol-water mixture to a superheated gaseous state, then utilizes the vacuum conditions in a carburetor to control the flow of the gaseous alcohol-water mixture into the intake manifold of the engine where it mixed with gasoline and air from the carburetor to power the engine.
Further, certain alcohols are known to be useful as alternate fuels. U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,081 to Krauja discloses a fuel combustion system, utilizing a glow plug and designed to completely ignite and burn relatively lower-cetane-number alternative fuels such as one hundred percent methanol or ethanol. The Krauja system is designed to overcome the problem that conventional direct-injection internal combustion engines having a fuel injector with multiple fuel spray orifices do not completely ignite and burn such fuels.
The previously known oxygen and hydrogen burning systems required the use of two stages. The first stage generates the gases from an electrolytic cell or tank. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,925 to Hasebe et al describes an electrolytic tank for generating oxygen and hydrogen and facilitating the separation of the generated gas bubbles from the electrolyte solution. The second stage is the burning of the gases generated in the first stage. Previous two-stage systems generally required complex structures and occupy considerable space. The design is taught to be useful in welding, cutting, heating, and lighting, etc., applications.